Pasqtjale galassi



May 30, 1933. P. GALASSI FLANGED DIVIDER STRIP FOR FLOORS Filed Oct. 12

INVENTOR J'Qld/P galvssz' N E Y c/a BY 18 ATTOR Patented May 30, 1933 UNET'Eln TATE hATN FLAHGEI) DIVIDER STRIP FOR FLOORS Application filed 'Gctober 12, 1931.

This invention relates to improvements in divider strips for terrazzo and like fioors. Terrazzo, granolithic, and similar floors generally comprise a lower or foundation bed made of concrete or cement or other suitable material and an upper or finishing layer generally consisting of a mixture of marble chips and cement.

In the construction of this type of floors, the foundation layer is first laid and allowed to harden to a sufficient degree of consistency. Divider strips are then placed on or through the foundation layer. The strips employed are generally made of relatively soft metal such as brass for instance, but are also at times made of different materials according to the ornamental requirements of the design and color scheme to be produced.

As a rule however, the metal employed is apt to be considerably more expensive than steel, and therefore it is desirable to substitute steel or some other inexpensive material for the part of the strip which is embedded into the floor material and which is not likely to show even after the floor has been subjected to considerable wear. It is therefore desirable to produce a strip composed of two sections, the upper section being made of the metal showing the upper layer of the floor, and the lower section being made of steel or other relatively inexpensive metal, the two sections being permanently connected to each other to form a unitary strip. 7

Divider st ips should furthermore be provided with anchoring means for retaining them in position and with positioning means for determining the depth at which a strip is to be inserted through the lower or foundation bed. The positioning means are therefore vertically spaced from the upper edge of the strip a distance corresponding to the thickness of the upper layer of the floor, whereas the anchoring means can be located at or below said level. Frequently,

the positioning means are also adapted to function as anchoring means and this generally leads to simplification in the construction of the strip. r

A divider strip of this character should Serialv No. 568,246.

preferably possess suflicient rigidity to Withstand the lateral pressure of the plastic composition of the floor before it hardens, and in another patent application copending herewith, entitled Flanged strips for ter razzo floors, Ser. N 0. 486,165, I have therefore advocated a construction of bimetallic strip in which the lower section is formed with a laterally extending continuous longitudinal flange which effectively serves as positioning means for the strip and which also may serve as anchoring means therefor.

Such a flange stilfens the strip to a considerable degree and therefore makes it possible to use relatively light gauge metal for the manufacture of the lower section of the strip. In the strip forming the subject of the said copending application, the lower section is formed With a plurality of longitudinally spaced upturned tongues or lugs adapted to be connected to or to interlock with the upper section. WVhile in the majority of cases these tongues form quite an effective means for joining the two sections to each other, in some instances, I have 7 found that the tongues did not ofier sufiicient resistance to bending stresses in the transversal sense, so that the vertical alignment of the strip was impaired. In order to avoid this, it was necessaryv to use heavier gauge metal for the manufacture' ,of the lower section of the strip.

By my present invention I have sought to retain all the advantages'pertaining to a bimetallic strip formed with acontinuous longitudinal flange, at the same time insuring the rigidity of the struct'urenot only in a longitudinal but in a transversal sense, under practically all conditions.

The primary object of this invention is accordingly to provide a divider strip for terrazzo and like floors, formed oftwo sec tions, the lower section being reinforced by a double thickness joining" edge and having a portion or portions extent-jug laterale l y thereof so as to provide positioning means for saidstrip.

Another object of this invention is to provide a divider strip for terrazzo and like floors, formed out of two sections, the'lower section being provided with a longitudinal continuous flange extending laterally thereof, portions of the inner edges of the two sections being in overlapping relation so as to insure a relatively rigid joint between the two sections.

A further object is to provide a bimetallic fioor strip of relatively simple and strong construction entailing for its productionthe use of a minimum quantity of metal for its upper section, the two sections composing said strip being securely joined to each other by operations requiring a relatively small expenditure of labor.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear as the description proceeds and will be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the two sections composing a strip embodying my invention, before they are joined;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of an assembled strip of the type shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the two sections composing a strip similar to that shown in Fig. l in a somewhat modified form;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a strip embodying my invention in which the two sections are riveted to each other;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a similar strip in which hollow rivets are formed integral with the lower section;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of another strip also embodying my invention in a somewhat different form;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the two sections composing a difierent type of strip also embodying my invention;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of an assembled strip of the type shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the sections composing still another strip also embodying my invention;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of said strip after assembling;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a strip embodying some of the features of my invention where a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending lugs have been substituted for the continuous flange;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view in perspective of another strip also embodying some of the features of my invention in which the flanged elements have been omitted; and

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical cross section of a terrazzo floor showing a dividing strip of the type illustrated in Fig. 3 in position. I

The main characteristic of the strip forming the subject of the present invention is that before being laterally bent to form a continuous longitudinal flange or a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending lugs, the upper edge of the lower section is first bent downwardly to a certain extent so as to form a double thickness for the joining edge of the lower section, said joining edge having thus a greater rigidity than the body portion of the lower section and providing a continuous lateral support or rest for the lower edge of the upper section.

The strip illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, comprises an upper section 10 having an uninterrupted upper edge 11 and provided with a plurality of slots or openings 12 arranged at spaced intervals in proximity of its lower or inner edge. The lower section is preferably formed out of an originally flat strip by bending its upper or inner edge portion downwardly as shown at 13 to form a joining edge 14, having twice the thickness of its body 15, said inner edge portion being then bent at right angles to its body portion, so as to form a laterally extending longitudinal flange 16. The joining edge portion of the lower section is punched at spaced intervals in proximity of edge 13 to form laterally extending lugs 17 in correspondence of slots or openings 12 in the upper section. The two sections are assembled and secured to each other by inserting lugs 17 through openings 12 until the upper section abuts against the inner surface of edge portion 14 and by then bending downwardly the outer end of lugs 17, forming retaining lips such as shown at 18.

The flange 16 is preferably spaced from the upper edge 11 of the completed strip a distance equivalent to the thickness of the upper layer of a floor in connection with which the strip is to be used, so that said flange can be used not only as a means of stifi eningthe strip but also as positioning and anchoring means therefor.

The strip shown in Fig. 3 is in many respects similar to that just described, comprising as it does an upper section 19 provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 20 in proximity of its lower or inner edge, and a lower section 21 having its upper or inner edge portion bent to form a double thickness joining edge portion 22 and a laterally extending flange 23. In the present case only the inner flap of the joining edge 22 is punched at intervals to form laterally extending lugs 24, in correspondence of openings 20 of the upper section, said lugs being like in the previous case inserted through openings20, and their outer end being bent downwardly to form retaining lips such as 25. The continuity of the outer flap of the joining edge is thus left undisturbed and the production of the strip is also made somewhat easier by having to punch and bend a single thickness of metal when forming lugs 24 and lips 25.

Thetwo sections of a strip embodying my invention can also be riveted together as shown in Fig. 4 where 26 is the upper section, and 27 is the lower section formed with a double thickness joining edge 28 and a laterally extending continuous flange 29,- said two sections being permanently joined to each other by rivets 30 inserted thereth rough at longitudinally spaced intervals.

In Fig. 5, I illustrate a somewhat similar construction of strip in which the inner flap 31 of the double thickness joining edge 32 is formed integral with hollow rivet members 33 outwardly projecting therefrom, said rivet members being inserted through corresponding openings provided in the upper section 34 and their outer edge being turned outwardly and against the surface of said upper section.

In Fig. 6 I show a modification of the strip illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, inwhich the lugs 35 struck off the double thickness joining edge 36 are bent laterally for insertion through corresponding openings provided in the upper section 37, their tip ends being turned upwardly instead of down wardly to form retaining lips 38.

Further economies in the cost of production can be eifected if the upper section is made solid only for that portion which extends above the joining edge of the lower section, said solid portion being provided with lugs downwardly extending therefrom at longitudinally spaced intervals.

A construction of this character is shown in Figs. 7, 8, where the lower section 39 has its upper or inner edge portion bent downwardly at 40 to form an inverted loop portion 41, the two legs of which are spaced a distance corresponding to the thickness of the upper section 42 as shown at 43. The upper section consists of a strip portion 44 formed with longitudinally spaced lugs 45 depending therefrom, and the bending edge 40 of the lower section is formed at corresponding intervals with openings 46 through which said lugs can be inserted with a tight fit.

I11 order to assemble the two section it is therefore suflicient to insert lugs 45 through openings 46 and then to exert end pressure against the two sections so as to force them towards each other until the lower edge 47 of the upper section abuts against the bending edge 40, as shown in Fig. 8.

In Figs. 9, 10, I illustrate another strip in which the upper section consists of a strip 48 formed at longitudinally spaced intervals with lugs 49 downwardly depending therefrom, the lower ends of said lugs being bent at right angles to form laterally extending cars 50.

- The lower section 51 is bent downwardly at 52 to form a double thickness joining edge 53 and is then bent outwardly. to form a laterally extending flange 54, said flange being provided with tongues 55 at intervals longitudinally spaced to correspond to ears 50. The inner flap 56 of the joining edge is also punched out in correspondence of said tongue to form openings such as 57 adapted to receive the downwardly extend-- ing portion of lugs 49. In order to assemble the two sections, it is therefore sufficient to insert lugs 49 within openings 57 until ears 50 rest against the flange 54and then to turn tongues 55 upwardly and in wardly to form retaining hooks engaging ears 50 as shown at 58 in Fig. 10.

Although a continuous longitudinal flange previously described, forms a. very desirable feature in a floor strip of the character speciiied, it is within the scope of my invention to produce a strip embodying the double thickness edge without being formed with a continuous longitudinal flange. For in stance, Fig. 11 illustrates a strip comprising a lower section 59 having its upper edge portion bent downwardly at 60 to form a double thickness joining edge 61, the lower edge of the inner flap 62 of said joining edge being provided with longitudinally spaced ears or lugs 63 laterally extending therefrom.

The upper section 64 is shown connected to the joining edge of the lower section by means of rivets 65. In the strip of Fig. 12, the upper section 66 consists of a relatively thick bar 67 having a relatively thin rib portion 68 depending-therefroln, the lower surface 69 of bar 67 resting against the upper edge 70 of the double thickness joining edge portion 71 of the lower section 72. In this case, no flanged members are shown projecting laterally of the lower edge of the inner flap of the lower section, it being assumed that the strip may in this case be rigid enough without the provision ofa con tinuous longitudinal fiange. The abutment 73 formed by the lower edges of inner flap 74 and rib68 can act as positioning means for the strip, and separate anchoring means may be provided by laterally offsetting por tions of the lower section as shown for instance at 75.

The use of a strip such as shown in Fig. 3 is illustrated in Fig. 18, where 76 is the floor foundation, 77 is the lower layer of a terrazzo fioorand 78 is the upper layer. In thesame, it will be observed that the lower. surface'of flange 23 rests upon the top surface of the lower layer of the floor, thus determining the depth at which the strip is to be inserted within the plastic material out of which the lower layer is made.

The remaining portion of the strip upwardly projecting from said lower layer therefore determines the depth of the upper layer, flange 23 also anchoring the strip in position after the upper layer has been laid.

proved strip may vary from those shown without departing from the inventive idea; the drawingwill therefore be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly, I reserve the right to carry my invention into practice, in all those ways and manners which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a composite divider strip for terrazzo or like floors, the combination, with an upper section, of a lower section having its upper edge portion bent reversely of the body thereof to form a double thickness joining edge, the upper section being connected to said joining edge to form a unitary strip with said lower section.

2. In a composite divider strip for terrazzo or like floors, the combination, with an upper section, of a lower section having its upper edge portion bent reversely of the body thereof to form a double thickness joining edge, the flap thus formed having flanged positioning means extending laterally of its lower edge, the upper section being connected to said joining edge to form a unitarystrip with said lower section.

3. In a composite divider strip for terrazzo or like floors, the combination, with an upper section, of a lower section having its upper edge portion bent reversely of the body thereof to form a double thickness joining edge, the flap thus formed having its edge portion bent to form a laterally 8X- tending flange, the upper section being connected to said joining edge to form a unitary strip with said lower section.

4. In a composite divider strip for terrazzo or like floors, the combination, with an upper section, of a lower section having its upper edge portion bent reversely of the body thereof to form a double thickness joining edge, the lower edge of the upper section abutting against, and being connected to said joining edge to form a unitary strip with said lower section.

5. In a composite divider strip for terrazzo or like floors, the combination, with an upper section, of a lower section having its upper ed e portion bent reversely of the body thereoI to form a double thickness joining edge, the flap thus formed having its edge portion bent to form a laterally extending flange, the lower edge of the upper section abutting against, and beingconnected to said joining edge to form a unitary strip with said lower section.

The constructional details of my im- 6. In a composite divided strip for terrazzo or like floors, the combination, with an upper section, of a lower section having its upper edge portion bent reversely of the body thereof to form a double thickness joining edge, the flap thus formed having its edge portion bent to form a laterally extending flange, said joining edge having laterally extending lugs, the lower edge of the upper section having openings adapted to register and to interlock with said lugs, and being thereby connected to said joining edge to form a unitary strip with said lower section.

7. In a composite divider strip for terrazzo or like floors, the combination, with an upper section, of a lower section having its upper edge portion bent reversely of the body thereof to form a double thickness joining edge,the flap thus formed having its'edge portion bent to form a laterally extending flange, the lower edge of the upper section abutting against, and being connect-' ed to said joining edge to form a unitary strip with said lower section, said flange acting as positioning means for said strip.

8. In a composite divider strip for terrazzo or like floors, the combination, with an upper section, of a lower section having its upper edge bent reversely of the body thereof, the flap thus formed having its edge portion bent to form a laterally extending flange, the upper section being connected to said lower section to form a unitary strip therewith.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PASQUALE GALASSI. 

